| How to Have a Wake Induced Lucid Dream (WILD) Posted: 15 Jul 2017 05:00 PM PDT A wake initiated lucid dream, or WILD, is when you enter a lucid dream directly from the waking state, and are aware of the transition from wakefulness to dreaming. Most recorded lucid dreams are "dream initiated," stemming from an ordinary dream.[1] Studies have shown that wake initiated lucid dreams are more likely than dream initiated lucid dreams (DILDs) to include the sensation of out of body experiences, floating, or flying.[2] They may be more vivid than dream initiated lucid dreams. Cultivating WILDs requires practice and patience, and may be easier for people already skilled in DILDs or in meditation.[3] EditTraining for WILDs - Practice dream recall. Encourage yourself to remember your dreams by writing them down. Keep a journal by your bed that is only for dreams. You can begin writing immediately, or you can take a minute to sit and remember the dream in its entirety before you begin writing. Practice both strategies to see which lets you remember more.[4]
- Reread your dream journal frequently.
- Check for "dream signs," or repeated themes and objects in your dreams.
- Memorize the places, objects, characters, and situations that recur in your dreams.
- Write down your lucid dreams! If you manage to have a lucid dream, whether wake-initiated or dream-initiated, it is especially important to write it down.
- Do reality checks. Every hour or so during the day, ask yourself if you are dreaming or not. Even if you are sure you're awake, test it. Try checking the time, putting your hand through a wall, or looking in a mirror. Pinch yourself! Check for dream signs.[5]
- Learning this habit will give you a tool you can use to affirm when you are dreaming.
- Recite affirmations. As you go to sleep, silently repeat a phrase about dream recall or about lucid dreams. You might say "When I dream, I will remember my dream," or "I'm about to dream," or "I will be lucid in this dream." Focus on this mantra alone while you repeat it in your head.[6]
- Picture your dreams. After you have recited in your head, as you are growing sleepy, imagine a dream you recently had, or a dream you would like to have. Picture yourself in it doing something you would like to do, such as fly. Check for dream signs. If you enter a dream in this way, you are having a WILD.[7]
- Try going back and forth between picturing your dreams and reciting your affirmation.
- Be prepared to do this many nights without obvious results. Your initial goal should just be remembering your dreams.
- Cultivating the habit of lucidity can take months, or longer if you do not normally remember your dreams.[8]
EditDreaming after a Short Sleep - Get up early. Set your alarm an hour to an hour or an hour and a half before your ordinary waking time. Go to bed at your usual time. If you don't have an ordinary wake time, try to estimate how many hours you normally sleep. When you go to bed, set an alarm for that number of hours, minus an hour to an hour and a half. [9]
- Stay up for an hour to an hour and a half. When you wake up early, stay awake for 90 minutes. You can do what you want with this time, but there are certain activities that may help you have a lucid dream. Spending time reading about lucid dreams or reading your dream journal can be helpful. Some people report reading, writing, or meditating of any sort is effective, while others might eat breakfast or snack and have an ordinary morning.[10]
- Lie down and relax. You can lie back down in bed or wherever you wish to dream. Try lying in corpse pose, or however you feel most relaxed. Take ten deep, slow breaths. Remember, your goal is to ease yourself into a dream while remaining conscious of the process of falling asleep.[11]
- Spend ten minutes or so thinking about your dream. Once you have been awake for at least an hour, return to bed or to the place you would like to have your lucid dream. There, you may recite something to yourself such as "I will have a lucid dream" or "I am about to enter my dream again." Imagine a recent dream, or slowly invent a dream you would like to have. Picture it in layers, starting with the outline and filling in the details.[12]
- Alternatively, try counting yourself to sleep. Say to yourself "One, I'm dreaming, two, I'm dreaming, three…"[13]
- Another method is to relax each part of your body systematically. Start with one hand or foot and slowly relax each muscle.[14]
- Encourage hypnagogic imagery. As you start to sleep, you might see flashing and color. Watch it dimly, without focusing, as focusing might wake you up. Keep your eyes gently closed. Scenes may form. Let them go by you.[15]
- Feel your body fall asleep. As you drift off, your goal is to remain conscious of the transition to sleep. Be attentive to the auditory and physical phenomena of falling asleep. You may feel vibrations, which mean that your limbs are beginning to sleep. You may hear a buzzing.[16]
- Keep your eyes lightly closed and continue to be attentive to images and sounds from within.
- Enter your dream. As scenes form, try picturing more details, or interacting physically with the elements you are seeing. Imagine doing something active, such as riding a bike, climbing stairs, or swimming. Involving your senses in the dream will help you move from your physical body into your dream body.[17]
- Check that you're dreaming. Perform a reality check, such as turning the lights on or off, checking the time, or pushing your fingers softly through something that should be solid. If the time is impossible to read or is inconsistent, or if you can't change the lighting, but can poke your fingers though your hand or the wall, you are in your lucid dream.[18]
EditTransforming Sleep Paralysis - Notice the onset of sleep paralysis. Sleep paralysis occurs when your body is starting to fall asleep, and causes you to be temporarily awake but unable to move. Recognize the first signs of sleep paralysis to avoid becoming frightened when it occurs. Sleep paralysis is unpleasant for most people, but it's actually a helpful jumping off point for lucid dreams, if used correctly.
- Feel for buzzing, numbness, heaviness, or the sensation of falling. A feeling of heaviness or numbness moving up or across your body can also signal the onset of sleep paralysis.
- Listen for unpleasant or repetitive buzzing or droning. This tinnitus-like auditory hallucination may mean you are falling asleep.[19]
- You may hear words, such as your own name, inside yourself or very nearby. Try not to be startled.[20]
- Relax into it. Welcome sleep paralysis as a platform for lucid dreaming. Embrace your awareness of your body's descent into sleep by noticing every stage. If you become frightened, remind yourself that it is sleep paralysis, and that you are falling asleep. It is common to hallucinate a presence during sleep paralysis, often a menacing or oppressive one.[21]
- Remind yourself that you are dreaming, nothing can hurt you, and you are in charge.
- If you are frightened, and embracing your dream isn't working, try gently wiggling your fingers or toes.[22]
- Float, sink, or sit up out of your body. Move from paralysis to lucid dream by moving dreamily. Instead of trying to move your limbs, which feel paralyzed, try instead to float out of your body, sink through your bed, or sit up out of your body.[23] Alternately, tell the room around you to change. Say "Now I am transporting to the beach," or some scene you frequently dream.
- If there is a presence in the room, tell them you are dreaming and you want to be taken to the dream.[24]
- Expect that they will take you, and they will.
EditFixing Common WILD Problems - Dream through your fear. If you feel frightened by any of the hallucinations you have while entering a WILD, or if your dreams are frequently nightmares, you may be too fearful to take control of your dream and may instead wake yourself up. Train yourself in confidence while you train for lucid dreaming. Recite affirmations such as "I am safe in my dreams" or "I choose my own dreams." When you practice reality checks, remind yourself that you are safe: you are either safely awake, or safely dreaming.
- If you run into something frightening as you fall asleep or dream, remind yourself that you are a trained dreamer.
- Wake yourself up if you want. If you are in an out-of-control bad dream and your techniques aren't working, wake yourself up. Similarly, if you are too frightened by sleep paralysis, wake yourself up. Wiggle your toes and fingers, and try coughing, blinking, and making small movements.[25]
- Look past your hallucinations. The visual and auditory hallucinations that occur when you are falling asleep lucidly can be captivating, distracting, and even frightening. You may find you wake yourself up by paying too much attention to flashing or swirling colors, sounds you hear, or phantom presences. Practice detachment as you fall asleep. When you see or hear something and you aren't fully asleep, give it a mental nod and relax further into your dream.[26]
- Lie mostly still. You may find you wake up while attempting a WILD because of twitching, itching, or built up saliva. When attempting a WILD, lie mostly still. Lie in the position you would like to fall asleep in. Lie on your back, or lie the way you normally do when falling asleep. If saliva builds up, swallow it: you do this reflexively when you are asleep.[27]
- If you have an itchy feeling early in your meditation, gently scratch it. As you progress, you will want to avoid waking yourself up with movements.
- To avoid scratching, detach from the feeling. Imagine it is something else. Visualize the itch as a plant rubbing you, for instance.
- Don't open your eyes. You may be tempted to check your progress by looking at a clock or looking around the room. Keep your eyes closed. Your "dream eyes" will open on their own.[28]
- Try different methods. If you have been training for months without a lucid dream, try changing your methods. Adjust your sleep schedule and experiment with different wake up times. Try sleeping without an alarm on days you don't work.[29]. If you have been trying many methods, every day and night, try using just one, or none at all, for a few nights. You may be trying too hard.
- Stay lucid. It's easy to get excited in a lucid dream and wake yourself up, or get sucked into the dream's reality and lose lucidity. Focus on a lucid dream once you have it. Engage physically with your surroundings. Pick things up, move things, do physical activities, and look around. Remind yourself that you are lucid every minute or so.[30]
- If you find yourself doubting, waking up, or losing control, focus on the dream.
- The more you engage with the world you find yourself in, the more you can prolong your lucid dream.
- Rubbing your hands is an effective way to give the dream stability and make it more realistic immediately after entering it.
- Spin once you are lucid. It will increase your awareness and gain you balance.
- Reminding yourself of your intention before going to sleep will usually get your lucid dreams to occur more often.
- Immediately after entering the dream it is often useful to not control anything for a short time, because it lets your brain enter the dream.
EditThings You'll Need EditRelated wikiHows EditSources and Citations
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| How to Potty Train a Puppy in an Apartment Posted: 15 Jul 2017 09:00 AM PDT Potty training a puppy is a little trickier when you have an apartment, since you can't install a doggie door or easily let your furry companion outside. The key is to start early and be consistent. Place your dog on a regular feeding schedule so you can predict when she'll need to go outside, and reward her every time she demonstrates good behavior. Before you know it, your puppy will run to the door and wag her tail instead of having indoor accidents. Read on to learn more about how to potty train a puppy in an apartment. EditStarting an Outside Routine - Take your puppy outside frequently. A young puppy (8 weeks) needs to be given the opportunity to go outside every 20 minutes, if you are to increase the chances of her peeing outside rather than inside. Older puppies also need to relieve themselves frequently, as they can't physically hold their bladder for more than an hour or two.[1] To avoid accidents, scoop up your puppy and take her outside once an hour like clockwork. This way your puppy will learn to associate going outside with going to the bathroom.
- Once you get to know your puppy, you'll be able to watch for signs she needs to relieve herself. As soon as you see her displaying the signs, take her outside.
- When you're house training a puppy, it's very important that you be available to meet her needs at all times of the day. If you leave her alone in the apartment all day it might take a very long time for her to understand what she's supposed to do when she needs to go to the bathroom. If you can't be with her all day long, have a friend stay with her.
- Feed your puppy at the same time every day. This helps to reinforce a routine and allows you to better predict when she may need to go outside. Depending on your puppy's breed and needs, feed her a few times a day. Take your puppy outside after every meal and after she drinks a lot from her water bowl.
- Pick a designated place for your puppy to relieve herself outside. Going to the same spot every time will help her remember what she's supposed to do. Living in an apartment building, you might have trouble getting all the way to the closest park. Pick a patch of grass close enough to your apartment entrance that your puppy won't have an accident on the way.
- Be sure to follow your city's ordinances regarding disposing of dog waste. Pick up after your puppy using a plastic bag.
- Dog urine isn't generally good for flowers, so try to find a public spot that isn't being tended by a careful gardener. You might find yourself the subject of a sign warning dog owners to stay away - a common sight near city apartment buildings!
- Use a command to help your puppy associate the spot with relieving herself. Say something like "go potty" or just "potty" when you set her in the designated spot. Use language to strengthen the puppy's association with the spot. Make sure you don't use the word indoors; just use it in the special spot.
- Reward your puppy when she relieves herself outside. The best way to train a puppy is to reinforce good behavior and eliminate possibilities for bad behavior. When your puppy relieves herself outside, giving her praise and a treat will make her want to do it again. Say "good girl" or "good boy" in a loving tone and give your puppy some cuddles. You can also give her a small treat each time she goes correctly.
- In order for positive reinforcement to work effectively as a training strategy, consistency is key. That means that every single time your puppy relieves herself outside, you should praise her. This is especially important in the first few months, when she's still learning correct behavior.
EditStarting an Inside Routine - Confine your puppy to a certain area in the apartment. You can gate off your kitchen using a child or dog gate or choose a different room. This is necessary during the first few months, since keeping your puppy in one place allows you to keep an eye on her so you can take her outside right away when she shows signs of needing to relieve herself. If she has too much freedom, she'll end up going to the bathroom before you can catch her to take her outside.
- Your puppy is ready to spend time in the rest of the apartment after she has learned to signal to you that she needs to go outside, either by moving toward the door or looking at it. You'll also know she's ready when she has very few accidents in the apartment.
- Consider having an indoor bathroom spot. If your apartment is on a high floor in your building, it might be difficult to get outside in time for your puppy to go to the bathroom. If you have a small dog who makes manageable messes, you can consider paper training your dog instead of taking her outside every time. Line an area of the room with newspapers or special training pads you can buy at the pet store. Use the same training method you'd use for an outdoor bathroom spot, carrying your puppy to the papers each time she has to go. Reward her when she goes successfully.[2]
- You can also use a sod box as a place for your puppy to eliminate. Fill a shallow plastic container with sod or dog litter, and place it on top of newspapers.[3]
- When you clean up after an accident your puppy has had, you can place the soiled paper towels or rags in the designated area so that your puppy associates the the smell of urine with her bathroom spot.
- Keep your puppy in a crate at night and while you're away. Puppies actually like the feeling of being in a small, cozy crate - it makes them feel safe and secure. For this reason you should never use a crate as a form of punishment; it should be your puppy's personal safe place. Puppies don't like soiling their living space, so make sure you take your puppy outside so she can go to the bathroom right before you put her in the crate.
- Puppies can sleep for about 4 hours before they need to relieve themselves. Very young puppies might wake up barking, though, so you should line the crate with towels just in case your puppy has an accident in the night.
- If you hear your puppy barking in the crate, take her outside to relieve herself and place her back in the crate. Be sure you reward her when she relieves herself.
- Clean up accidents right away. If your puppy has an accident in her crate or elsewhere inside, be sure to clean it up and sanitize the spot so it no longer smells like urine. If an area smells like urine the puppy will instinctively want to relieve herself in the same spot again.
- Don't scold your puppy for having an accident.[4] Puppies don't respond well to negative reinforcement; it only makes them afraid. If your puppy is relieving herself in your apartment, pick her up and immediately take her outside to the designated bathroom spot. When she successfully finishes doing her business there, reward her before taking her back inside.
- Never yell at your puppy or spank her when you see her having an accident. You will teach your puppy to be afraid of you, and it won't help her learn what to do when she needs to relieve herself.
- If you find a mess in your apartment after the deed has been done, don't ever rub your puppy's nose in it or try to discipline her. It doesn't work; it just confuses the puppy. Simply clean up the mess and take the puppy outside more often to continue her training.
- When cleaning up the mess use an odor neutralizer, or vinegar can do the job as well. Nothing with ammonia in it, as that smells like urine to puppies, and they'll try to go in that spot again, what you don't want to happen.
- Never get angry and hit your dog. Do not reward the bad behaviors and reward the good behaviors.
- Be consistent. If you change from paper training to house training halfway through, it will confuse your puppy, and make it more difficult, but done consistently potty training your puppy can be a breeze.
EditThings You'll Need - A crate
- Papers of some sort, (newspapers, training pads, etc.)
EditRelated wikiHows EditSources and Citations
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| How to Develop Healthy Eating Habits Posted: 15 Jul 2017 01:00 AM PDT Many people realize that healthy eating habits can help support a healthy weight, manage or improve chronic diseases and maintain overall good health. But a diet that contains more processed, less nutritious foods can lead to weight gain and poor health.[1] If you want to develop healthy eating habits, make small changes over a longer period. You'll need to focus on eating consistent, well-balanced meals and eating a variety of foods. This will help ensure you're consuming enough nutrients to support your body and daily activities. Developing healthy eating habits is a great way to improve your health and can be just a few small changes away. EditGetting Ready to Improve Your Eating Habits - Talk to your doctor. Make an appointment to consult with your doctor before making any lifestyle, exercise or dietary changes. She will be able to tell you what's appropriate and safe for your specific health conditions.
- Explain that you're interested in cleaning up your diet and eating better. Provide some information about why you're making these changes and what you hope to achieve.
- Also ask your doctor if she has any suggestions for you. Many times if you are on certain medications, have a certain health condition or need to lose weight, your doctor may be able to give you a few tips to help you get started.
- Talk to a registered dietitian. These health professionals are licensed nutrition experts and can really be a great resource when you're trying to develop healthy eating habits. This area is their specialty.
- Ask your doctor for a referral to a local dietitian or someone she works with. You can also do an online search for a dietitian in your area.
- Talk to your dietitian about your goal for improving your eating habits and what you hope to achieve with better habits.
- Ask him about other changes they think would be helpful to you. He or she may be able to suggest additional changes outside of the ones you've thought of.
- Start a food journal. Before overhauling your diet and eating habits, it's a good idea to journal about where you currently are with your diet. Journaling is a great place to start because it gives you an insight into where your starting point is. It makes you realize your strengths and makes you aware of your weaknesses. A journal can also help you keep yourself accountable as you develop new, healthy eating habits.
- Keep track of all your food and beverages for at least one week. Try to be as accurate as you can when you're tracking your food. Even a few bites while you prepare meals should be accounted for.
- Don't forget to track how many ounces of clear, hydrating fluids you drink. This is an area that's also an important part of healthy eating.
- After you've kept your journal for a few days, star or highlight areas where you think you could make changes. For example, you might notice you don't drink enough water or typically skip breakfast. These are great areas where you can make healthy changes.
- Write yourself a plan. Using your journal and doctor's advice, make a plan for your new healthy eating habits. This "to-do list" will help you set yourself up for success long-term.[2]
- It might be helpful to start by writing a list of all the small changes you'd like to make to your diet and eating patterns.
- Number or list your changes in the order of when you're going to tackle each of them. It's best to just choose one to two changes to make at a time. Trying to overhaul your diet all at once can be difficult and hard to sustain long-term.[3]
- Schedule or write in your calendar which changes you'll be making each week or few weeks. Keep track of how successful or unsuccessful you after each change.
- Buddy up. When you're trying to make lifestyle changes, it can be beneficial to find a friend, family member or another support system to help you. Many people are more successful when they are supported through their changes.[4]
- Talk to your friends, family members or coworkers about your plan for improving your diet. Ask if anyone would like to join you. Together, you may be able to collaborate on different healthy eating ideas, recipes or ideas when the going gets tough.
- You can also sign up for online support groups or forums where others are also trying to improve their eating habits.
EditChanging How You Eat - Eat regular, scheduled meals each day. Eating a healthy diet is only part of the battle. Eating on a scheduled regimen is equally, if not more, important. You should realize that eating too often or not often enough can cause gaps in your day, lowering metabolism and causing irregular cravings. It's important that we're nourished adequately throughout the day to prevent fatigue, grogginess and to perform at an optimal level.[5]
- It's important to eat regular, consistent meals each day.[6] In general, it's important to eat about every three to four hours. Some people may prefer to have four or five small meals a day, whereas others may stick to three meals daily. This timeline may differ for everyone, but it's still not healthy to skip meals.
- One study showed that when mice ate just one large meal per day and fasted the rest of the day, their insulin resistance and abdominal fat increased.[7]
- Plan for quick or easy-to-prepare meals to make it easier to stay consistent with your eating schedule. Foods like individual yogurts, fruit, nuts, hard boiled eggs, cheese sticks, or a protein shake are easy to eat on the run and require minimal prep work.
- Eat a protein and fiber-rich breakfast. When you're planning to eat more consistently, it's also important to eat the right foods in each of your meals. This is especially true for breakfast. This meal will pave the way for the rest of your day.
- Studies have shown the breakfasts that are high in protein help lead to better hunger management during the day. People felt more satisfied and showed reduced cravings during the day.[8]
- Breakfasts that also contained a high amount of fiber have been shown to be beneficial as well. Fiber adds bulk to meals and takes longer to digest compared to low fiber foods. This helps increase satisfaction and manage hunger throughout the day.[9]
- Examples of high protein, high fiber breakfasts include a small whole wheat tortilla with scrambled eggs and cheese, cottage cheese topped with fruit, whole grain oats topped with dried fruit and nuts or a breakfast smoothie made with Greek yogurt and fruit.
- Choose healthy snacks. Many people think snacking will lead to weight gain. However, smartly planned snacks between meals can help curb your appetite and provide a little energy throughout the day.[10]
- Do not let yourself become so hungry you overeat at mealtime. If your next meal is more than one hour away, having a snack may help curb your appetite and prevent you from overeating.
- Another appropriate time to snack would be before or after a workout. Snacks can help provide your body with the energy it needs for a good workout or help your body recovery from exercise.
- If you're trying to lose weight, snacks shouldn't be more than 150 calories.[11] Snacks should also only be eaten when you are truly hungry, and it's appropriate to snack.
- Healthy snacks include: 1/4 cup of nuts, whole grain pita chips with hummus, apple with of peanut butter or a small Greek yogurt.
- Take at least 20 minutes to eat your meals. Studies have shown that the slower you eat, the more likely you are to feel satisfied after a meal.[12] Taking at least 20 minutes to eat your meal can help slow you down so you can feel satisfied sooner and with less food. Taking the time to eat mindfully and to enjoy every bite is a great way to prevent overeating and ensure that you're listening to your body.
- Those who ate slower not only felt more satisfied but also consumed less food.[13] This may be due to the fact they realized they were satisfied and didn't eat until they were overly full.
- Try these tricks to help yourself slow down: set a timer for 20 minutes, put your fork down between each bite, drink more water between bites, talk to friends or family while you eat or count how many times you chew each bite.
- Also do not get distracted while eating. Turn off TVs and cell phones while you're eating. Also, try not to read, check emails or do other work while you're eating.[14]
- Stop eating when you're satisfied, not full. When you eat until you're too full or overly full, you're most likely consuming too many calories for your body's needs. This is not a healthy habit to continue as it could cause weight gain.[15]
- It may be difficult to tell when you're only "satisfied." It takes about 20 minutes for your brain and stomach to communicate that feeling.[16] That's why it's important to eat slowly.
- In general, satisfaction may feel like: a lack of hunger, disinterest in your food, a very slight stretching sensation or the feeling that you won't need to eat again for a few hours. When you're satisfied, you should leave some food on your plate.
- When you're eating until you're full, you may feel: uncomfortable, bloated, sick, a significant stretching sensation in your stomach. When you're full, you most likely cleared your plate or had additional servings of food.
- Instill good eating habits in your kids. If you're trying to improve your eating habits, you may also want to improve the eating habits of your entire family.
- Kids can be a difficult group to get to eat healthy. However, they are quick to learn and imitate behaviors they see in their parents.[17]
- Cooking together with your kids and taking them to the grocery store can help them feel involved, more excited to try new foods and eat healthier.[18]
- Introduce new foods slowly to kids. If you're just starting to eat better at home, your kids might not jump on the bandwagon so quickly. Be patient with them as they adjust their tastes to your new eating pattern.
- Get creative with your meals and snacks. Making foods look fun and interesting can help kids feel more comfortable trying new items.[19] For example: make a smiley face out of cut up fruit, or make "ants on a log" (celery spread with peanut butter and topped with raisins).
EditChanging What You Eat - Choose lean protein sources. Lean protein is an essential nutrient in your diet. It provides the basis for the majority of your body's processes and functions.[20] Choosing healthy, lean sources of protein at each meal can help meet your body's needs each day.
- In general, one serving of protein is about 3-4 ounces. This is the size of your palm or a deck of cards.[21]
- Most of your protein choices should be lean. These contain higher amounts of protein and less fat which can help support a healthy weight. Choose items like poultry, eggs, lean beef, seafood, legumes, pork, tofu or low-fat dairy products.
- It's appropriate to eat higher fat protein sources on occasion. However, these types of foods should not be the main source of your protein.
- Eat five to nine servings of fruits and vegetables daily. Both fruits and vegetables are low in calories and incredibly nutrient rich.[22][23] Eating adequate servings of these foods can help you reach a variety of your nutrient goals each day.
- One serving of fruits is 1/2 cup or one small piece of fruit.[24] One serving of vegetables is one cup or two cups of leafy green vegetables.[25] Make half of your plate a fruit or vegetable to help you meet your daily goals.
- Choose a variety of fruits and vegetables that are deep in color. These contain more nutrients compared to paler vegetables. For example, choose spinach over iceberg lettuce or choose butternut squash over yellow summer squash.
- Also choose a wide variety of fruits and vegetables each day and week. You will limit your nutrition if you only eat one or two types of fruits and vegetables.
- Choose whole grains over refined grains. When you're eating foods like bread, rice or pasta, it's beneficial to eat 100% whole grains instead of refined grains.
- Whole grains are less processed and contain the entire grain — bran, endosperm and germ. These foods are typically higher in fiber, protein and other essential nutrients.[26] Choose items like brown rice, quinoa, whole grain oats or 100% whole wheat bread.
- Refined grains are those that are more processed and generally do not contain the nutrient containing parts of the grain. Refined grains are lower in fiber, protein and other nutrients. Items like white bread, plain pasta or white rice are refined grains.
- One serving of grains is about 1 ounce. That could be one slice of bread or about 1/2 cup of pasta or rice. Include three to four servings of these foods each day.
- Limit highly processed junk foods food. These types of foods generally contain more sugar, fat, sodium and overall calories.[27] To help promote a healthy diet and weight, it's important to reduce the intake of these types of foods.
- Limit foods like candy, cakes, cookies, pastries, frozen meals, processed meats and chips or crackers.
- Try to eat mostly whole, minimally processed foods like raw fruits and vegetables, frozen or canned fruits and vegetables without sauces or seasonings, fresh or frozen protein without added sauces or seasonings, whole grains and low-fat dairy products.
- Drink more water. Adequate hydration is an essential component of a healthy eating plan. Adequate hydration helps your body function normally.[28]
- Everyone needs a different amount of hydrating fluids each day. New guidelines suggest this method to find out how many ounces to drink each day: divide your weight in half, and that will give you the number of ounces of fluids you should consume.[29] If you weigh 150 lbs. you should drink 75 oz or a little over nine cups. Try to drink this much as your initial goal. You may change this amount as you continue to work on your diet.
- Choose fluids that are sugar-free and decaffeinated as they hydrate you the best. Items like water, flavored water, decaf coffee and tea are appropriate types of beverages.[30]
- Reduce or cut out sweetened beverages. The consumption of sweetened beverages may lead to weight gain. Cut out sodas, juices, sweet teas and alcohol.
- Considering taking supplements. Vitamin and mineral supplements may help you maintain your healthy eating pattern. These supplements can add extra nutrition to your diet. This may be particularly useful for people with food allergies, diet restrictions or are picky eaters.[31]
- Consider taking a multivitamin. This is a general supplement that contains a wide variety of vitamins and minerals. These are an excellent, all-purpose type of supplement.
- Consider an additional iron supplement. Some people, especially females who are menstruating, may need additional iron.
- Vitamin B12 is typically found in animal foods, and those who are vegetarian or vegan may need an additional B12 supplement.[32]
- Vitamin and mineral supplements are not to be relied upon heavily or used in place of real, whole foods. They are meant to be a supplement to a healthy, well-balanced diet.
- Always check with your doctor before starting any vitamin or mineral supplement. Not all supplements are safe and appropriate for everyone.
- A steady exercise program can speed weight loss, but be sure it is reasonable to maintain.
- Keep a chart of how many successful days you had and unsuccessful days. By keeping a chart, you can visually see and record data on your day to day basis. This may help you fix mistakes and can motivate you to step up your game or say "good job".
- Take your time losing weight. Work to maintain your weight loss as well as your overall health.
- Try to eat more vegetables than meat. Fruits and vegetables have more nutrients than any other food group.
- Treat yourself to an occasional discretion, such as a piece of chocolate. Limit the amount and frequency of the treat.
- Try to avoid places and people with too much junk food as this can be tempting.
- Always talk to your physician before making any dramatic eating or lifestyle changes.
- Keep a food and exercise journal. It will help guide you with your daily goals through accountability. Baby steps make it livable.
EditRelated wikiHows EditSources and Citations
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